HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam Memorial Hospital Authority is suspending all elective surgeries starting Tuesday because the Intensive Care Unit has reached “absolute capacity” at 14 patients.
GMHA is working to expand its bed capacity and staff resources. This includes moving additional stable, non-acute, non-Covid patients to the Skilled Nurses Unit in Barrigada. They are rerouting all administrative nurses to the hospital floors for clinical support and continuing to work with federal partners to request emergency FEMA clinical staff.
An ICU overflow called “Care 2” will be mobilized with the shifted staff from the Operating Room and various departments to support additional critical care patients. The Care 2 bed capacity is four patients.
“We will continue to analyze the situation and make decisions as we see fit. This is a constantly fluctuating and changing dynamic; after 1.5 years of this pandemic, we are nothing if not flexible, adaptable and agile to the needs of our community,” aid Lillian Perez-Posadas, GMHA chief executive officer.
“I want to thank every single GMHA employee, who continue to show up, work hard and go above and beyond their regularly scheduled hours to support the sickest in our community. You truly are frontline heroes.”
During this current Covid-surge, GMHA’s teams have worked hard to ensure the highest quality care for all patients, despite bed and staffing shortages, the press release states.
In August, officials said the hospital suspended outpatient services to accommodate the influx of patients with the hope of continuing elective surgeries during this virus-wave.
“Unfortunately, the Covid census and demands on the hospital have reached a critical point,” GMHA stated.
“Thus, the decision is to now maintain and staff one Operating Room for emergency cases, while redirecting all remaining staff and resources to support the continued influx of Covid patients, particularly those who need ICU and Telemetry level of care.”
The front entrance of the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority is pictured on Aug. 20, 2021.
